Saturday, February 13, 2016

Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Friday welcomed and met with U.S. Senator John McCain, who led a delegation of the U.S. Congress.

SOURCE: BETA, TANJUG FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2016

Vucic said after the talks said that he and the senators discussed global issues, including the migrant crisis, and that he told them "Serbia will not raise walls in the future, either, because that is neither a European, nor a civilized solution."

Vucic said he was convinced today there are "very few or almost none at all" obstacles to creating a better environment and even better relations between Serbia and the United States.

Vucic said that he urged American officials to help Serbia in the preservation of peace and stability which are crucial for economic development.

According to him, anyone who thinks that Serbia can remain on the European path and make economic progress without America's support was "not serious and irresponsible" and described the EU bid as a strategic goal of the country.

"I could be showing muscles and utter a bad word because of 1999, but I wonder what would be the result, will more investors come, will more people get jobs...," Vucic said, responding to questions from reporters, in an apparent reference to NATO's 1999 air strikes against Serbia.

He pointed out that "Serbia wants good relations with the U.S." and is "not ashamed of such a responsible policy, but proud of it."

Asked to what extent "the alliance of Serbia and the United States in two world wars may help cooperation" Vucic said that Serbia "remembers the friendship from these wars - which was then lost in 1999."

"It is time to invest a lot of effort and energy in order to restore that trust, and I am grateful that senators do, and we will do that too," said Vucic.

He added that Serbia's goal is to have good relations with all major powers, and that he would "at the same time always protect the interests of our country."

John McCain addressed reporters during a joint press conference to say his country "recognized Serbia's efforts to normalize relations with Kosovo, the progress made in relations with Bosnia-Herzegovina, economic progress, as well as the commitment of Serbia to join the EU."

Serbia's military neutrality and possible NATO membership is a matter that Serbia and the Serbian people will decide on, he noted.

"NATO membership is a decision that is up to Serbia and its citizens, Serbia's priority is EU accession, " McCain said.

Asked "how he sees Serbia's military neutrality, its stepped-up military technical cooperation with Russia and potential NATO membership," McCain said that he is afraid that the Middle Eastern crisis will involve various peoples in one way or another and that, over time, Serbia will have an increasing role in humanitarian operations.

Anything more than that is something that Serbia and the Serbian people will decide on, he said.

Asked if the U.S. foreign policy will change "also toward Serbia and the region" after the presidential election in that country, he responded affirmatively.

Earlier in the day, McCain toured migrant reception centers in Adasevci and Sid, and told reporters there he would ask that the United States gives additional assistance to Serbia in coping with the refugee crisis.

"Serbia needs additional aid in the migrant crisis. Upon my return to the States, I would ask my colleagues to make this possible," he said, adding that the migrant crisis "requires a lot of money" and thanked the Serbian government "for doing an amazing job in very difficult circumstances."

Serbian ministers of labor and internal affairs Aleksandar Vulin and Nebojsa Stefanovic showed McCain the accommodation provided to migrants and the registration process in Adasevci, where there were around 1,000 migrants at the time.

Department spokesperson Mark Toner said that the US Department of State will release about 550 emails by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton by February 13, and will complete the releasing of documents by February 29.

Release of Clinton’s Emails to Continue Saturday, End on February 29
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — As many as 81 messages were reportedly classified, while three were branded secret.
The US State Department will complete the release of Clinton’s emails by February 29.

In March 2015, Clinton has come under severe criticism for using her personal email account and server for official purposes while serving as secretary of state from 2009 to 2013. Subsequently, the authorities discovered top classified material in at least several of her emails.

A US District Court judge ordered the State Department to make public all of approximately 55,000 pages of Clinton’s emails by January 2016.

The State Department, however, renegotiated the deadline because of the massive snowstorm that hit the Washington, DC area in January, and caused the US federal government to close, in addition to affecting internal processing.

Syrian Kurdish fighters from the People's Protection Units (YPG) reported on Saturday that Turkish artillery targeted their positions in Menagh airport and a village near Azaz, which were recently captured from the Syrian opposition.

An Al Jazeera reporter in the Turkish city of Gaziantep, near the Syria border, said the timing of the attack is "interesting", as it comes at a period when the YPG and their allies have been capturing rebel-held territory, taking advantage of an ongoing government offensive in Aleppo.

"Now, we can only speculate - was this a warning from the Turkish authorities who do not want to see the YPG expand control in Syria?" Khodr said.

"In the past, Turkey has fired shells across its border but usually in retaliation - after a shell lands on Turkish soil, or if fighting is getting closer to its border they fire shells as a deterrent."

The shelling came after Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday that Ankara would, if necessary, take military action against fighters from the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD).

"We can if necessary take the same measures in Syria as we took in Iraq and Qandil," Davutoglu said in a televised speech in the eastern city of Erzincan, referring to the bombing campaign last year against Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq on their Qandil mountain stronghold.

"We would expect our friends and allies to stand by us," he added.

Turkey considers the PYD and its YPG militia to be branches of the PKK, which has waged a decades-long armed campaign against the Turkish state.

“The
grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the
fellowship of the holy Spirit be with all of you” (2 Cor 13:13).

By God
the Father’s will, from which all gifts come, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ, and with the help of the Holy Spirit Consolator, we, Pope
Francis and Kirill, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia, have met today
in Havana. We give thanks to God, glorified in the Trinity, for this
meeting, the first in history.

It is with joy that we have met like brothers in the Christian faith who encounter one another “to speak face to face” (2 Jn 12),
from heart to heart, to discuss the mutual relations between the
Churches, the crucial problems of our faithful, and the outlook for the
progress of human civilization.

Our fraternal meeting has taken
place in Cuba, at the crossroads of North and South, East and West. It
is from this island, the symbol of the hopes of the “New World” and the
dramatic events of the history of the twentieth century, that we address
our words to all the peoples of Latin America and of the other
continents.

It is a
source of joy that the Christian faith is growing here in a dynamic way.
The powerful religious potential of Latin America, its centuries–old
Christian tradition, grounded in the personal experience of millions of
people, are the pledge of a great future for this region.

By meeting far from the longstanding
disputes of the “Old World”, we experience with a particular sense of
urgency the need for the shared labour of Catholics and Orthodox, who
are called, with gentleness and respect, to give an explanation to the world of the hope in us (cf. 1 Pet3:15).

We thank God for the gifts received
from the coming into the world of His only Son. We share the same
spiritual Tradition of the first millennium of Christianity. The
witnesses of this Tradition are the Most Holy Mother of God, the Virgin
Mary, and the saints we venerate. Among them are innumerable martyrs who
have given witness to their faithfulness to Christ and have become the
“seed of Christians”.

Notwithstanding this shared
Tradition of the first ten centuries, for nearly one thousand years
Catholics and Orthodox have been deprived of communion in the Eucharist.
We have been divided by wounds caused by old and recent conflicts, by
differences inherited from our ancestors, in the understanding and
expression of our faith in God, one in three Persons – Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. We are pained by the loss of unity, the outcome of human
weakness and of sin, which has occurred despite the priestly prayer of
Christ the Saviour: “So that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in
me and I in you … so that they may be one, as we are one” (Jn17:21).

Mindful of the permanence of many
obstacles, it is our hope that our meeting may contribute to the
re–establishment of this unity willed by God, for which Christ prayed.
May our meeting inspire Christians throughout the world to pray to the
Lord with renewed fervour for the full unity of all His disciples. In a
world which yearns not only for our words but also for tangible
gestures, may this meeting be a sign of hope for all people of goodwill!

In our determination to undertake
all that is necessary to overcome the historical divergences we have
inherited, we wish to combine our efforts to give witness to the Gospel
of Christ and to the shared heritage of the Church of the first
millennium, responding together to the challenges of the contemporary
world. Orthodox and Catholics must learn to give unanimously witness in
those spheres in which this is possible and necessary. Human
civilization has entered into a period of epochal change. Our Christian
conscience and our pastoral responsibility compel us not to remain
passive in the face of challenges requiring a shared response.

Our gaze must firstly turn to those
regions of the world where Christians are victims of persecution. In
many countries of the Middle East and North Africa whole families,
villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being
completely exterminated. Their churches are being barbarously ravaged
and looted, their sacred objects profaned, their monuments destroyed. It
is with pain that we call to mind the situation in Syria, Iraq and
other countries of the Middle East, and the massive exodus of Christians
from the land in which our faith was first disseminated and in which
they have lived since the time of the Apostles, together with other
religious communities.

We call upon the international
community to act urgently in order to prevent the further expulsion of
Christians from the Middle East. In raising our voice in defence of
persecuted Christians, we wish to express our compassion for the
suffering experienced by the faithful of other religious traditions who
have also become victims of civil war, chaos and terrorist violence.

Thousands of victims have already
been claimed in the violence in Syria and Iraq, which has left many
other millions without a home or means of sustenance. We urge the
international community to seek an end to the violence and terrorism
and, at the same time, to contribute through dialogue to a swift return
to civil peace. Large–scale humanitarian aid must be assured to the
afflicted populations and to the many refugees seeking safety in
neighbouring lands.

We call
upon all those whose influence can be brought to bear upon the destiny
of those kidnapped, including the Metropolitans of Aleppo, Paul and John
Ibrahim, who were taken in April 2013, to make every effort to ensure
their prompt liberation.

We lift our prayers to Christ, the
Saviour of the world, asking for the return of peace in the Middle East,
“the fruit of justice” (Is32:17), so that fraternal
co–existence among the various populations, Churches and religions may
be strengthened, enabling refugees to return to their homes, wounds to
be healed, and the souls of the slain innocent to rest in peace.

We
address, in a fervent appeal, all the parts that may be involved in the
conflicts to demonstrate good will and to take part in the negotiating
table. At the same time, the international community must undertake
every possible effort to end terrorism through common, joint and
coordinated action. We call on all the countries involved in the
struggle against terrorism to responsible and prudent action. We exhort
all Christians and all believers of God to pray fervently to the
providential Creator of the world to protect His creation from
destruction and not permit a new world war. In order to ensure a solid
and enduring peace, specific efforts must be undertaken to rediscover
the common values uniting us, based on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ.

We bow before the martyrdom of those
who, at the cost of their own lives, have given witness to the truth of
the Gospel, preferring death to the denial of Christ. We believe that
these martyrs of our times, who belong to various Churches but who are
united by their shared suffering, are a pledge of the unity of
Christians. It is to you who suffer for Christ’s sake that the word of
the Apostle is directed: “Beloved … rejoice to the extent that you share
in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may
also rejoice exultantly” (1 Pet4:12–13).

Interreligious dialogue is
indispensable in our disturbing times. Differences in the understanding
of religious truths must not impede people of different faiths to live
in peace and harmony. In our current context, religious leaders have the
particular responsibility to educate their faithful in a spirit which
is respectful of the convictions of those belonging to other religious
traditions. Attempts to justify criminal acts with religious slogans are
altogether unacceptable. No crime may be committed in God’s name,
“since God is not the God of disorder but of peace” (1 Cor14:33).

In affirming the foremost value of
religious freedom, we give thanks to God for the current unprecedented
renewal of the Christian faith in Russia, as well as in many other
countries of Eastern Europe, formerly dominated for decades by atheist
regimes. Today, the chains of militant atheism have been broken and in
many places Christians can now freely confess their faith. Thousands of
new churches have been built over the last quarter of a century, as well
as hundreds of monasteries and theological institutions. Christian
communities undertake notable works in the fields of charitable aid and
social development, providing diversified forms of assistance to the
needy. Orthodox and Catholics often work side by side. Giving witness to
the values of the Gospel they attest to the existence of the shared
spiritual foundations of human co–existence.

At the same time, we are concerned
about the situation in many countries in which Christians are
increasingly confronted by restrictions to religious freedom, to the
right to witness to one’s convictions and to live in conformity with
them. In particular, we observe that the transformation of some
countries into secularized societies, estranged from all reference to
God and to His truth, constitutes a grave threat to religious freedom.
It is a source of concern for us that there is a current curtailment of
the rights of Christians, if not their outright discrimination, when
certain political forces, guided by an often very aggressive secularist
ideology, seek to relegate them to the margins of public life.

The process of European integration,
which began after centuries of blood–soaked conflicts, was welcomed by
many with hope, as a guarantee of peace and security. Nonetheless, we
invite vigilance against an integration that is devoid of respect for
religious identities. While remaining open to the contribution of other
religions to our civilization, it is our conviction that Europe must
remain faithful to its Christian roots. We call upon Christians of
Eastern and Western Europe to unite in their shared witness to Christ
and the Gospel, so that Europe may preserve its soul, shaped by two
thousand years of Christian tradition.

Our gaze is also directed to those
facing serious difficulties, who live in extreme need and poverty while
the material wealth of humanity increases. We cannot remain indifferent
to the destinies of millions of migrants and refugees knocking on the
doors of wealthy nations. The unrelenting consumerism of some more
developed countries is gradually depleting the resources of our planet.
The growing inequality in the distribution of material goods increases
the feeling of the injustice of the international order that has
emerged.

The Christian churches are called to
defend the demands of justice, the respect for peoples’ traditions, and
an authentic solidarity towards all those who suffer. We Christians
cannot forget that “God chose the foolish of the world to shame the
wise, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count
for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, that no
human being might boast before God” (1 Cor1:27–29).

The family is the natural centre of
human life and society. We are concerned about the crisis in the family
in many countries. Orthodox and Catholics share the same conception of
the family, and are called to witness that it is a path of holiness,
testifying to the faithfulness of the spouses in their mutual
interaction, to their openness to the procreation and rearing of their
children, to solidarity between the generations and to respect for the
weakest.

The family is based on marriage, an
act of freely given and faithful love between a man and a woman. It is
love that seals their union and teaches them to accept one another as a
gift. Marriage is a school of love and faithfulness. We regret that
other forms of cohabitation have been placed on the same level as this
union, while the concept, consecrated in the biblical tradition, of
paternity and maternity as the distinct vocation of man and woman in
marriage is being banished from the public conscience.

21. We call on all to respect the inalienable right to life. Millions are denied the very right to be born into the world. The blood of the unborn cries out to God (cf. Gen 4:10).
The emergence of so-called euthanasia leads elderly people and the
disabled begin to feel that they are a burden on their families and on
society in general. We are also concerned about the development of
biomedical reproduction technology, as the manipulation of human life
represents an attack on the foundations of human existence, created in
the image of God. We believe that it is our duty to recall the
immutability of Christian moral principles, based on respect for the
dignity of the individual called into being according to the Creator’s
plan. 22. Today, in a particular way, we address young Christians. You,
young people, have the task of not hiding your talent in the ground (cf. Mt 25:25),
but of using all the abilities God has given you to confirm Christ’s
truth in the world, incarnating in your own lives the evangelical
commandments of the love of God and of one’s neighbour. Do not be afraid
of going against the current, defending God’s truth, to which
contemporary secular norms are often far from conforming.

23. God loves each of you and expects you to be His disciples and apostles. Be the light of the world so that those around you may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father (cf. Mt 5:14, 16). Raise your children in the Christian faith, transmitting to them the pearl of great price that is the faith (cf.Mt 13:46) you have received from your parents and forbears. Remember that “you have been purchased at a great price” (1 Cor 6:20), at the cost of the death on the cross of the Man–God Jesus Christ.

24.
Orthodox and Catholics are united not only by the shared Tradition of
the Church of the first millennium, but also by the mission to preach
the Gospel of Christ in the world today. This mission entails mutual
respect for members of the Christian communities and excludes any form
of proselytism. We are not competitors but brothers, and this concept
must guide all our mutual actions as well as those directed to the
outside world. We urge Catholics and Orthodox in all countries to learn
to live together in peace and love, and to be “in harmony with one
another” (Rm 15:5). Consequently, it cannot be accepted that
disloyal means be used to incite believers to pass from one Church to
another, denying them their religious freedom and their traditions. We
are called upon to put into practice the precept of the apostle Paul:
“Thus I aspire to proclaim the gospel not where Christ has already been
named, so that I do not build on another’s foundation” (Rm 15:20).

25.
It is our hope that our meeting may also contribute to reconciliation
wherever tensions exist between Greek Catholics and Orthodox. It is
today clear that the past method of “uniatism”, understood as the union
of one community to the other, separating it from its Church, is not the
way to re–establish unity. Nonetheless, the ecclesial communities which
emerged in these historical circumstances have the right to exist and
to undertake all that is necessary to meet the spiritual needs of their
faithful, while seeking to live in peace with their neighbours. Orthodox
and Greek Catholics are in need of reconciliation and of mutually
acceptable forms of co–existence.

26.
We deplore the hostility in Ukraine that has already caused many
victims, inflicted innumerable wounds on peaceful inhabitants and thrown
society into a deep economic and humanitarian crisis. We invite all the
parts involved in the conflict to prudence, to social solidarity and to
action aimed at constructing peace. We invite our Churches in Ukraine
to work towards social harmony, to refrain from taking part in the
confrontation, and to not support any further development of the
conflict.

27.
It is our hope that the schism between the Orthodox faithful in Ukraine
may be overcome through existing canonical norms, that all the Orthodox
Christians of Ukraine may live in peace and harmony, and that the
Catholic communities in the country may contribute to this, in such a
way that our Christian brotherhood may become increasingly evident.

In the contemporary world, which is
both multiform yet united by a shared destiny, Catholics and Orthodox
are called to work together fraternally in proclaiming the Good News of
salvation, to testify together to the moral dignity and authentic
freedom of the person, “so that the world may believe” (Jn17:21).
This world, in which the spiritual pillars of human existence are
progressively disappearing, awaits from us a compelling Christian
witness in all spheres of personal and social life. Much of the future
of humanity will depend on our capacity to give shared witness to the
Spirit of truth in these difficult times.

May our bold witness to God’s truth
and to the Good News of salvation be sustained by the Man–God Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Saviour, who strengthens us with the unfailing
promise: “Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is
pleased to give you the kingdom” (Lk12:32)!

Christ
is the well–spring of joy and hope. Faith in Him transfigures human
life, fills it with meaning. This is the conviction borne of the
experience of all those to whom Peter refers in his words: “Once you
were ‘no people’ but now you are God’s people; you ‘had not received
mercy’ but now you have received mercy” (1 Pet 2:10).

30.
With grace–filled gratitude for the gift of mutual understanding
manifested during our meeting, let us with hope turn to the Most Holy
Mother of God, invoking her with the words of this ancient prayer: “We
seek refuge under the protection of your mercy, Holy Mother of God”. May
the Blessed Virgin Mary, through her intercession, inspire fraternity
in all those who venerate her, so that they may be reunited, in God’s
own time, in the peace and harmony of the one people of God, for the
glory of the Most Holy and indivisible Trinity!

Thousands of Greek farmers set up a protest camp in central
Athens to speak out against tax and pension reforms required by the EU
and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Earlier, hundreds clashed
with police at the Agriculture Ministry.

READ MORE: 800 Greek farmers storm Agriculture Ministry in Athens, police fire tear gas (VIDEO)
The
protesting farmers, who have come from across the country, were joined
by worker unionists on Syntagma Square. Police estimated that around
10,000 demonstrators were in attendance. The mass then carried flags in a
procession that was led by 20 tractors honking their horns.
Prime
Minister Alexis Tsipras’s formerly left-wing government plans to raise
pension contributions and taxes to deal with Greece’s budget deficit.

Protesters told RT’s Ruptly
agency that if the measures are passed, they will be force to leave
Greece, as life would no longer be sustainable.“We cannot
let the government pass these catastrophic measures. If they pass, we
are going to have to become migrants, either within the country or
abroad,” Ruptly TV cited Antonis Bitsakis, a member of the coordinating committee of the farmers of Creta, as saying. “They are a catastrophe. We are going to stay here till the end. We cannot let them pass.”
Some fires were lit and a number of protesters even brought tents in anticipation of a stay lasting for up to ten days. “We are determined to stay here 10 days, we’ve brought tents,” farmer, Stavros Haralas, told AFP.READ MORE: Anti-democratic, unaccountable EU unfazed by Cameron’s reforms – Yanis Varoufakis
The
farmers are most concerned about the hike in their social security
contributions, which is part of the pension reform. They are also
against getting rid of benefits, including cheaper fuel.
The
government prohibited the use of tractors in the rally, as they have
previously been used to block dozens of roads in Greece, including the
border crossings to Bulgaria and Turkey. However, the demonstrators got a
permit for 20 tractors to participate in Friday’s march.

Earlier in the day, around
800 farmers pelted the Agriculture Ministry with stones, as police used
tear gas to disperse the rally. They smashed windows and threw tomatoes
at the officers before the police managed to push them back.“The first floor of the building sustained damage, it is fortunate that no staff were hurt,” Agriculture Minister Evangelos Apostolou said at a media briefing.
Apostolou added that there had been some “extreme” elements in the protesting crowd.READ MORE: Greek farmers hold mock 'ISIS' execution to protest austerity taxes
Protesters argue that they are not extremists, but that the government’s decisions are pushing them towards extreme behavior. “The
left government calls some of us ‘far-right extremists.’ We are not
far-right extremists, but with their actions they push us towards the
extremes,” farmer G. Papageorgakopoulos told Ruptly.
Overall,
ten officers were injured, with two requiring hospitalization, the
junior interior minister for police, Nikos Toskas, told journalists.READ MORE: EU gives Greece 3 months to fix borders or risk Schengen suspension
The protests were organized as part of a larger movement against austerity measures concerning pensions.

Last week, the police and
protesters clashed on Syntagma Square in Athens during a general strike.
Some youths threw stones and petrol bombs as officers responded with
stun grenades and tear gas.
The Greek government is trying to
secure a third tranche of an international bailout, but in order to do
so it needs to implement further cuts and tax hikes. This round would
mark the 11th cut to pensions since 2010.READ MORE: It takes a Greek to save Europa (OP-ED)
On Wednesday, Tsipras spoke of a compromise during a televised address. “We are open to a substantial, honest dialogue with the farmers,” he said. “There
is significant room for improvement on their social security
contributions, on the issue of when the measures take effect, and
generally over the need to protect their income.”

The meeting between the Pope and the Patriarch of Moscow and All
Russia at Havana airport has begun. It is a historic meeting that has
been twenty years in the making and is an important step in ecumenical
dialogue after a period of separation that lasted almost one thousand
years

Francis and Kirill embraced and kissed one another. On this sunny
day, they met for the first time ever at the entrance to a room with
dark wood panelling in Havana airport. The meeting took place a long way
from Europe and its divisins, on an island that is both a crossroads
and a symbol.

“Hermano, hermano, brother, brother, somos hermanos (we are brothers Ed.)
,” Francis said to Kirill, “finally!” The Pope and the Patriarch sat in
two big white upholstered armchairs, the scene dominated by a wooden
crucifix. “Now things are easier,” Kirill said. “It is clearer now that
this is God’s will,” the Pope said.

This is how their
conversation began. The two religious leaders held their private meeting
in the presence of their interpreters, Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of
the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and Metropolitan Hilarion,
the Patriarchate of Moscow’s “foreign minister”.

At the
end of the meeting, the Pope and the Patriarch are expected to make
their way to another room where they will be met by Cuba’s President
Raúl Castro. Here, they will sign a lengthy and clearly worded joint
declaration. Francis and Kirill are to follow this up with two brief
speeches before taking their leave from one another. After this, Francis
will set off on a three hour flight bound for Mexico.

US
Chief of Naval Operations said that US Navy stands ready to respond to
the changing demands of the European theater in response to concerns
from its NATO counterparts.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) –
The US Navy stands ready to respond to the changing demands of the
European theater in response to concerns from its NATO counterparts, US
Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said on Friday.

"We will play a role in…responding to further
demands that the [European] theater imposes, and I will be in close
touch with our Navy commanders out there," Richardson said at an
American Enterprise Institute conference.

He added that his European counterparts have raised "concern
with this resurgent Russia, particularly in the eastern
Mediterranean…the Black Sea, even the Caspian Sea."

Victoria Nuland will travel to Poland, Germany and Albania on February 10-14, where she will hold series of bilateral meetings.

WASHINGTON
(Sputnik) — US Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland will travel
to Poland, Germany and Albania on February 10-14, where she will hold
series of bilateral meetings and attend a security conference, US
Department of State said in a press release.

"On February 10, Assistant Secretary of State
for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland will travel to Warsaw,
Poland," the press release stated on Wednesday.

During the visit, Nuland will discuss bilateral and regional issues
with senior government officials, leaders of political parties and
members of civil society, according to the State Department.
On February 12-13, Nuland will participate in the Munich Security
Conference in Germany together with US Secretary of State John Kerry.
After the Munich conference, Kerry and Nuland will visit Albania
for further discussions with the country’s leadership about Tirana’s
Euro-Atlantic integration.

Iben Thranholm examines political and social events with
focus on their religious aspects, significance and moral implications.
She is one of Denmark’s most widely read columnists on such matters.
Thranholm is a former editor and radio host at the Danish Broadcasting
Corporation (DR), at which she created a religious news program that set
a new standard for religious analysis in the newsroom. She has traveled
extensively in the Middle East, Italy, the United States and Russia to
carry out research and interviews. She has been awarded for her
investigative research into Danish media coverage of religious issues.

Published time: 11 Feb, 2016 16:41

The meeting of Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill in Cuba on
February 12 may turn out to be not only the most significant
ecclesiastical event, but one of the most momentous political events in
recent years.

Since the schism
of 1054 when the church separated into an Eastern and Western part, the
differences have been irreconcilable and the two have not engaged in
any dialogue. Leaders, political and military, know the strategy of
divide and conquer. Although the Eastern Church, as well as its Western
sister, has seen enormous development after the schism and has created
cultural progress, the rule that division weakens an entity also applies
to Christianity.
The church in Russia was oppressed and weakened
under the Communist regime, and the Western church has been engaged in a
struggle against the tide of secularization and the religion of
scientism since the Enlightenment. In recent times both parts of the
church have been under pressure, culminating now in persecution of
Christians on a massive scale.
This
trend is global, but is particularly severe in the Middle East, where
ISIS commits horrible atrocities against Christians, as well as
monasteries and churches. The persecution even threatens to remove
Christianity from the lands whence the faith originated.
The
persecutions in the Middle East are the immediate cause of the meeting.
According to the Pope’s spokesman Fr. Federico Lombardi and Metropolitan
Hilarion, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations and a
permanent member of the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Moscow, the
meeting has been considered for a number of years. Nonetheless, the
announcement was a surprise when it was made, just one week before it
was to take place. As recently as January this year, Hilarion denied
that a meeting was being planned. Now it seems the political situation
in the Middle East, the horrible persecution of Christians and the
threat of destruction of the Christian community in the region have
compelled the Pope and the Patriarch to agree to meet as soon as
possible.
The meeting is intended to produce a joint declaration
signed by both church leaders. Its character will not be theological,
as dialogue in this area is held within the framework of the
International Commission for dialogue between the Catholic Church and
all the Orthodox Churches. It will be a statement on the various aspects
of cooperation and shared testimony that the Russian Orthodox Church
and the Roman Catholic Church can offer the world today. In particular,
it will address the problem of persecution of Christians in the Middle
East, but also the issues of secularization, the protection of life,
marriage and the family.
This means that the meeting springs from
the need and desire of the churches to form a joint front, or joint
ministry to a world disintegrating before our eyes: moral decay,
political depravity and dissolution of values. World War III looms like
darkness threatening to engulf us all with the rising tension in Syria
and Turkey, Western proxy wars and Russia’s intervention. Not to mention
the growing tensions between the West and Russia springing from the
crisis in Ukraine.

Read more

Russia – a game changer for global Christianity

The two leaders present an example to the entire world when
they meet, because they choose to set aside ecclesiastical disagreement
to achieve a greater good. The churches have had their own Ukraine crisis for years.
When
the Communist regime started falling apart and loosening its grip in
the late 1980s, the Russian Orthodox Church emerged once more to play
the role in society it had once held, but there were complaints that the
Roman Catholic Church had begun proselytizing in the traditional
Orthodox areas. The Roman Catholic Church maintains that it made no
active efforts to convert members from other Christian communities,
which is the definition of proselytizing. No proof of aggressive
proselytizing has ostensibly been presented, but the question of the
presence and work of the Greek Catholic Church in the traditional
Russian Orthodox area of Ukraine has remained problematic, and the
controversy persists.
The ability of the patriarch and the pope to
rise above their disagreements to address the far more serious problem
of persecution of Christians offers an example to be emulated by
politicians. Uniting to overcome a greater evil is the solution the
global community ought now to pursue. A fragmented Western world will be
fatally unable to stand up to radical Islam. Which other Christian
voice can now speak with the authority needed when liberal democracy is
becoming increasingly feeble in its struggle against radicalized Islam?
A
church united on this matter can therefore achieve enormous political
impact without casting the Patriarch or the Pope in the role of world
politicians. The Pope is the head of over 1.25 billion Catholics and the
Patriarch is head of about 164 million
Orthodox Christians, whose conscience, faith, hope and charity these
two leaders influence. Their message is not political, their message is
moral and spiritual and has an enormous impact on the way society
develops and people act towards other people. The spiritual and moral
factor in social affairs and world politics is crucial when it comes to
averting war, solving conflicts and ending dictatorial regimes, quite
possibly more so than political initiatives. If churches divided for
more than a millennium show themselves capable of surmounting their
differences, they provide a powerful testimony to the world that is
difficult to ignore, its influence must be felt. This reconciliation
brings renewed hope of peace and reconciliation of an order that no
merely political system would be able to provide.
The
Church has already demonstrated in recent history that it has the
ability to have an impact on history and end totalitarian regimes.
Today, leading historians agree the Berlin Wall
would not have come down the way it did without former Pope John Paul
II. While Communism still held sway, this Pope – who made great efforts
to reconcile the divided church – visited Poland on several occasions,
at which he reminded Poles of their Christian identity and faith, with
the Gospel’s familiar message: “Fear not!”. The moral and spiritual
strength this gave the people was the factor that gave them strength to
bring down the Wall. The churches in DDR also provided a forum of free
speech that eventually caused the demise of the regime. Similarly, the
celebration of the millennium anniversary of the Russian Orthodox Church
in 1988, permitted by Gorbachev,
provided significant impetus for the end of Communism and the Soviet
Union. The regime in the Kremlin met its final collapse during the week
when the Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of the
Transfiguration of Jesus. Even Joseph Stalin had to obtain the support
of the Orthodox Church to achieve victory over Nazism in the Great
Patriotic War.
No matter how tragic the cause of the summit
meeting between the Patriarch and the Pope, the savage slaughter of
Christians, it must be remembered that the church in ancient Rome grew
strong and achieved influence on society on the basis of the testimony
and blood of the martyrs. In a similar way, the Christians sacrificed by
ISIS now help heal more than a thousand years of schism between the two
churches. The foundation of the Christian faith is that sacrifice
brought in love brings the fruit of peace, reconciliation and healing.
This historic meeting – with the good will brought by the Patriarch and
the Pope – may help transform the world and snatch peace from the jaws
of the chaos that currently threatens to engulf us all. The significance
of the meeting therefore vastly exceeds the relationship between
Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Christians. A strong Christian voice
and a united church is what world needs now to avert a third world war,
at a time when politicians are exposed as bankrupt and impotent in the
face of evil.

The
statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those
of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

Cost could rise further if many migrants are blocked by Balkan border closures

Syrian refugees arrive
from Turkey and land on the Greek island of Lesbos in September. The
cost to Greece could rise further if many migrants end up stuck in the
country because of Balkan border closures.
Photo:
Associated Press

By

Nektaria Stamouli

Updated Feb. 11, 2016

ATHENS—Greece will have to spend some 0.3% of its gross domestic
product, or €600 million ($677.82 million), to deal with the refugee
crisis this year, according to a report conducted by the Bank of Greece.
At the same time, the Greek government is bracing itself for the Balkan border closures, which would potentially block asylum seekers’ exit from Greece and push up the country’s costs even further.
According
to a senior Greek official, the country’s central bank has conducted a
survey, which hasn’t been made public, to calculate the amount of public
money needed to deal with the influx of migrants and refugees.
Some
35.7% of the total funds will be used to operate reception facilities,
while the search and rescue cost amounts to 26.3% of the whole budget.
The report said that the portion of costs covered by European Union
funds is still to be determined.
Greece is the main gateway to Europe for hundreds of thousands of refugees
from Syria and other war-torn countries, as well as large numbers of
other migrants from Asia and Africa, who set off from Turkey.
About
857,000 refugees and other migrants entered the EU through Greece in
2015, risking a dangerous sea crossing that has led to almost daily drownings. Another 68,000 people have landed in Greece so far in 2016.
Europe
is increasing pressure on Greece to better manage the influx of
migrants, as the continent struggles to avoid a repeat of last year’s
massive wave of migration. But as plans to stem the human influx
flounder, the possibility of Balkan border closures increases.
Greece’s government is preparing itself and public opinion for that possibility. On Wednesday, Greece’s Vice President Yannis Dragasakis and Migration Minister Yiannis Mouzalas said that the country should be prepared for migrants to be trapped in the country because of border closures by its neighbors.
“We have to be prepared for every scenario, even for borders closing,” Mr. Dragasakis told local TV.
Mr.
Mouzalas said that this would be a “unilateral action,” but it would be
a manageable problem, as flows would immediately be reduced and he
estimated that no more than 50,000 refugees and migrants will be trapped
in Greece.
“Those building up fences are wrong; by closing the
borders at Idomeni, we lose the only way to control refugees flows in
Europe,” the minister added.
The commission also warned Greece
Wednesday that borders may be sealed off completely if the flow isn’t
reduced and demanded “better control of the border between Greece and
the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.”
On Thursday Mr. Mouzalas told parliament that the amount of money
required to deal with the refugee crisis might rise to €1 billion in
2016. The minister said the EU funds allocated for Greece have
yet to be received due to bureaucracy at national and EU level, and
claimed that the delay in disbursement is being used to pressure Greece
to accept a far greater number of migrants and refugees.
He added
that these funds, when received, will be enough to build and operate
the required registration centers for six or seven months.
But
apart from that, according to the Bank of Greece report, the country
will have to deal with additional costs that are hard to quantify in
advance, such as the effects it would have on the country’s economic
activity and especially on the tourism sector.
The large migrant
flows led to cancellations of flights to the Aegean islands, where
asylum seekers first set foot in Europe, by tour operators last year.
According
to the report, this is expected to continue in 2016 and have spillover
effects on tourism in other regions of the country.
Restrictions
in the cross-border traffic of products are expected to weigh on trade,
leading to further economic uncertainty and adding another risk factor
to Greece’s outlook. It could also further avert possible foreign
investments in the region.
Further costs may arise from the need
to further expand the capacity of the reception facilities to
accommodate refugees and migrants, as many will have to remain in
Greece.
The Bank of Greece report also notes that steps need to
be taken to integrate migrants and refugees into the labor market. In
order for that to happen, a proper evaluation system of the asylum
seekers’ skills should be adopted. Those remaining in Greece should also
be distributed across the region after taking into consideration the
labor market needs and their qualifications.Write to Nektaria Stamouli at nektaria.stamouli@wsj.com

As
Turkey and Saudi Arabia edge closer to sending ground forces into Syria
at the behest of the United States, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry
Medvedev has warned that an escalation of the conflict could lead to
world war.

During
an interview with German newspaper Handelsblatt, Medvedev warned
of dire consequences if the United States and its allies abandon Syrian
peace talks in favor of deploying ground forces.

"All ground operations, as a rule, lead to permanent wars," he said.
"Look at what is going on in Afghanistan and a number of other
countries. I don’t even mention the ill-fated Libya.

"The Americans must consider — both the US president and our Arab partners — whether or not they want a permanent war."

All sides should instead focus on implementing peace talks.
"We must make everyone sit down to the negotiating table, and we can
do it by using, among other things, the harsh measures that are being
implemented by Russia, the Americans, and even, with all reservations,
the Turks, rather than start yet another war in the world."

Any direct involvement by foreign players on behalf of the Syrian opposition will only worsen the violence.

"We may differ in our opinions of certain
political leaders but it is not a good enough reason to begin
intervention or to stir up unrest from within."

Moscow has long-stressed the need to support the legitimate
government of President Bashar al-Assad in the fight against terrorism.
Working alongside the Syrian Army, Russian airstrikes have had a severe
impact on Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State.
"…We must sit down at the same table, but our partners avoid this,"
Medvedev said. "That is, there have been some occasional meetings,
telephone conversations and contacts between our militaries. But in this
situation we should create a full-scale alliance to fight this evil."

The Prime Minister also criticized Europe’s handling of the migrant
crisis. The continent is facing an increased risk of terrorist attack
because of its decision to open its borders, and this only highlights
the need for international cooperation against terrorism.
"Some of these people — and it’s not just a few strange individuals
or utter scoundrels, but hundreds and possibly thousands — are entering
Europe as potential time bombs, and they will fulfill their missions
as robots when they are told to," he said.
"We are not trying to rule the world or impose our regulations on it,
though we are accused regularly of having such ambitions” he added.
“That is not so — we are a pragmatic people who realise that no one can
shoulder responsibility for the whole world, not even the United States
of America."

This has been announced by the Montenegrin Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and European Integrations, who said Rogozin was on a
list of Russian citizens banned from entering Montenegro, based on the
government's decision to join EU's anti-Russia sanctions.
It has also been stated that Rogozin was invited to
Montenegro by DF representative Milan Knezevic, "without any
consultations with competent organs of Montenegro."

Beta agency
is reporting that "Montenegro accepted the sanctions introduced against
Russia by western countries over the Ukrainian crisis," and that
Rogozin "in the past on several occasions made threatening statements
toward Montenegro due to its orientation to join NATO."

As the refugee crisis drags on, the Balkans are being crushed between authoritarian Turkey and dithering Europe.by Martin Ehl11 February 2016
Former Portuguese European secretary Bruno Macaes escaped after the
fall of his government to write a book on political philosophy in which
he probes the difference between Europe and Asia.

Currently he is traveling through the countries on the border between
the two continents. Arriving from Tehran and on his way to Baku, Macaes
was a guest of the Germia Hill conference, a small international
gathering in Pristina last week, where he advanced the following thesis:
“Maybe Western and Central Europe is now converging with the Balkans,
but it should be the other way around.”

The word “balkanization” has been trotted out quite often in the
vocabulary of international relations for some time. The reason is that
the Balkans look even more overburdened with historical conflicts than
our good old Central Europe.

But now most of the Balkan peninsula (the western Balkans in
euro-jargon for the former Yugoslavia plus Albania) is again a key
region for European security as fearful politicians watch the oncoming
stream of migrants through those countries.

And Central European post-communist politicians are much more eager
than their more politically correct Western colleagues to help Balkan
countries build a wall against the tide, which they see as a
surprisingly robust threat to European unity.

Balkan countries like Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania are in a delicate situation.

Over the years they have been promised membership of the European
Union and NATO as a reward for their reforms. But quite often they lack
basic, independent public institutions and are not able to offer their
citizens a decent standard of living.

It is almost forgotten that last year’s refugee wave started in
January and February with approximately 50,000 Kosovans traveling
through Hungary to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, seeking the better
life enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of their relatives already there.

But now Kosovo and other Balkan countries are declared to be safe –
allowing Germany and other countries to send back their failed asylum
seekers –and furthermore, they have become partners in the task of protecting the EU, whichis again exporting its need for security somewhere else instead of facing the challenge head-on.

Three billion euros to Turkey is a big and very visible package of
aid to help dampen the refugee crisis, while Balkan smugglers in
Macedonia or Albania are already preparing for big business and EU flags
are nowhere to be seen there when it comes to managing the massive
influx of people.

EU members are helping Macedonia and other post-Yugoslav countries on
a bilateral basis, sending equipment and police and hoping it will be
enough to stop the nightmare.

During the debates in Pristina last week it was clear that the Balkan
countries, with all their flaws and instability, are well aware that
the situation could be dangerous for them as well.

Elections are coming up this spring in Serbia and Macedonia. If
Europe closes its borders – as some Central European EU member states
(and some German politicians) counsel – migrants would begin to back up
in those countries. In that scenario it would be only a matter of time
before the migrant issue became ripe for misuse during the
electioneering.

According to Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, the
EU has only until March to solve the refugee issue before the Schengen
passport-free area collapses.

Kosovo and Bosnia are coping with domestic Islamic radicalization and
the whole region is watching as the security vacuum left in the Balkans
by the West in the last few years is filled by Turkey and its more or
less visible presence.

Bruno Macaes’s view on the balkanization of Europe includes one
delicate element: The EU’s ability to act is paralyzed not only by its
own political fragility and complexity, but also by the frequently
fallacious use of politically correct language.

The old members are accusing the new ones and prospective Balkan
incomers of rising xenophobia and nationalism – thus helping to
re-create the old East-West divide – at the same time as they team up
with the authoritarian Turkish president. With Turkey being a long-time
EU membership candidate, post-communist politicians might feel that
double standards are being applied.

The collision of these two contradictory and hypocritical approaches
could occur in the fragile states of the (western) Balkans. That could
prolong and deepen the political stalemate in Macedonia between
government and opposition or endanger the functioning of the new
war-crimes tribunal in Kosovo.

This divisive European approach is not a new one. We saw it applied
during the wars in Croatia, Bosnia, and Kosovo 20 years ago. Those
conflicts were decided by the involvement of American realpolitik, not
by Europeans. And we now witness again the same European blindness
towards reality on the ground.

Martin Ehlis the foreign editor of the Czech daily Hospodarske noviny. He tweets at @MartinCZV4EU.

In 1906, the Royal Navy rendered all other battleships obsolete when
it unveiled the HMS Dreadnought: a steam-powered fighting vessel with
12-inch guns and cement-reinforced armor. This past summer, British
naval engineers revealed a vision of its successor, the Dreadnought
2050.
The stealthy, semisubmersible ship is designed to move agilely around
a battle zone and remain flexible in any type of mission, says Mark
Steel, a manager of the Combat Systems Team at BMT Defence Services, a
naval design firm involved in the project.
The battleship could function with a crew as small as 50, as opposed
to the usual 200. It would serve as a mobile command center, unleashing
and directing armies of drones, missiles, and rovers. “Robotics allows
us to operate the ship at range to keep people out of harm’s way,” Steel
says.
Here are its components:

1. Moon Pool

The moon pool—a floodable dock area at the ship’s stern—would allow
for the rapid deployment of unmanned underwater rovers or Royal Marine
divers.

2. Drone Launcher

An extendable flight deck and hangar would
enable the launch of remotely piloted drones, many of which could be
3-D-printed on board.

Courtesy/copyright 2015 Startpoint

3. Tethered Quadcopter

Above the ship, a hovering quadcopter would provide 360-degree
visibility. Its sensors could capture emissions at frequencies across
the electromagnetic spectrum to detect enemy ships. A cryogenically
cooled tether made of carbon nanotubes would transmit energy from the
ship to keep it flying. Also, the quadcopter could be equipped with
lasers that could take out close-range threats, such as enemy missiles,
craft, or pirates that have slipped past the ship’s other defenses.

4. See-Through Strength

The ship’s hulls would be made of
ultra-strong acrylic coated in graphene (the material’s hydrophobic
properties cut down on drag). “Smart windows” would change to
translucent when a certain amount of voltage is applied, allowing
unobstructed views of close-in operations.

Courtesy/copyright 2015 Startpoint

In addition to the main hull, two outrigger hulls, or armas, would contain tubes for launching torpedoes.

5. Stealth Propulsion

To propel the ship, a fusion reactor (or, if that fails to
materialize, highly efficient turbines) would drive silent electric
motors. Dreadnought would also be the first surface fighting ship able
to use ballast to lower parts of the ship below water, making it harder
to detect with radar or infrared.

6. Holo-Op Room

Inside the Dreadnought’s control room,
commanders could zoom in and out of battles using a holographic command
table. This would offer a 3-D view of a battle in real time from any
vantage point—in the air, on the ocean’s surface, on land, or even
underwater.

Courtesy/copyright 2015 Startpoint

7. Firepower Trifecta

First, the ship would be armed with hypersonic missiles capable of knocking out would-be attackers.
Second, it would have super-cavitating torpedoes. These
rocket-propelled weapons move so fast, they vaporize the water around
them to create a nearly frictionless air bubble. These could pursue
enemy ships at speeds of 300-plus knots.
Third, an electromagnetic railgun could fire projectiles hundreds of miles, comparable to today’s long-range missiles.

Source: Islamic Republic News AgencyPresident Hassan Rouhani said on Monday that Iran is ready to expand cooperation with European Union, including Greece and that strengthening relations and cooperation between Tehran and Athens are beneficial for both nations. President Rouhani made the remarks in a meeting with Greece Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Tehran.

Referring to growing ties between Tehran-Athens, President Rouhani said that Iran does not consider Greece only a member of EU, at the same time, the two countries made major contribution to the world scientific development.President Rouhani said that Iran and Greece have wide-range economic capabilities to develop cooperation in all economic, cultural and academic areas.He underlined necessity of more cooperation between Iran and EU in fight against terrorism and said that it needs a firm resolve of the international community.Unfortunately, in spite of widescale economic potentials, some western governments have not shown necessary resolve in international campaign against terrorism and currently, a number of states are trying to use terrorists for their short term interests.

President Rouhani expressed Iran's readiness for more consultations and collaboration with EU and Greece in the field of confrontation with terrorism.He said that countries supporting terrorism should be convinced that instrumental use of terrorists is wrong and useless and terrorism will finally damage their own interests as well.He said that the governments must actively participate in strengthening peace and stability in the region and that the international community should try to cut the channels for the financial and arsenal assistance to terrorists.Tsipras underlined his country's resolve for expansion of all-out ties with Iran and said that although Greece is a member of EU, it will work beyond the EU framework with Iran.He said that Greek companies by support of European banks are interested in joint venture investment in Iran in all fields, especially shipping industry, housing and services sectors.The Greek premier said that cooperation and coordination between countries for fight against terrorism are necessary and that considering Iran's excellent role in regional stability, Greece will stand by Tehran.Tsipras expressed his country's readiness for establishment direct flight between Tehran and Athens and development of tourism relations between the two countries.Iran, Greece ink 3 cooperation agreementsIran and Greece have signed agreements on developing bilateral cooperation, an MoU on political cooperation and diplomatic visa waiver. Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras were present in the signing cermony.Jahangiri officially welcomed Greek Prime Minister in Sa'dabad Complex on Monday morning.Tsipras arrived in the central city of Isfahan late on Saturday night, heading a high ranking politico-economic delegation.Adopting a multilateral and open policy, Greece aims at developing ties with other countries and especially with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The Panepirotic Federation of America vehemently condemns the brutal destruction by Albanian authorities on August 26 of a Greek Orthodox Church in the Chimara region of the former Communist nation that once prohibited all forms of religious worship. The Church of St. Athanasius in the town of Drymades, known in Albanian as Dhermi, was completely destroyed by government agents acting on the authority of Albania’s Interior Ministry.

Petitioning European Council

The land in Himara belongs to the people of Himara! Land and property registration NOW! Signe now this petition to the European Councile, for the registration of properties to the only and single eligible owner: the PEOPLE of Himara.

Himara Community of USA, Addresses Himarra Property Issues with US State Department / Ambassador

The Honorable John F. Kerry Secretary of State U.S. Department of State Dear Mr. Secretary: We are writing to inform you of issues affecting United States citizens who have vested interests in the municipality of Himarra, Albania, and to express our concern about their long outstanding and unresolved problems regarding property rights. Over 1500 US citizens of Himarrioton descent are disenfranchised of their rights to the ownership of their family properties which were confiscated in 1945 by the communist regime. They have been attempting to claim their family properties since the end of the communist period without success due to the laws and policies of the Albanian government which a) fail to address ownership rights of pre-1945 landowners, b) fail to address the rights of owners who were forced to emigrate to the United States for economic or political reasons, and c) fail to address the rights of those with dual citizenship who have attempted to claim their properties as Albanian citizens.

Opinion - Kisha Autoqefale dhe Greqia! (14 tetor 2013)

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Officially: Omonoia, In Albania over 300.000 Greeks declared

30 % or 86,000, are declared electronically and this process includes 85 % of the members of the Greek minority Vlora Prefecture is the mostly populated by Greeks, there are about 90. 000 Greeks. TIRANA - Democratic Union of the Greek Ethnic Minority, Omonoia publishes the results of the census of members of the Ethnic Greek Community, organized by it structures. The Prime Census, was the decision of the General Council of the organization as members argued for exclusion of the Greek minority in the months Census October 2011, organized by the Institute of Statistics .

The history of elections of the Albanian dictator, to terrorize the people of Himara

A special Edition by SManalysis December 2, 1945: The Himariotes, abstaining from communist referendum, as happens usually for Himara the Albanian historians, never wrote this tragic history. Nikos Koutoulas, who boldly told the special communist court: "I'm Greek . I do not know Albanian, get me a interpret!" Still now, Albania never hold free politic elections, including Himara Municipality

Albanian Writer Raises Storm in Kosovo

Kosovo officials have rounded on Albanian writer Fatos Lubonja for saying that the political elites in both countries turned a blind eye to the crimes of the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA. Besar Likmeta BIRN Tirana Albanian writer Fatos Lubonja In the article published in the May edition of the magazine Sudosteuropa, Lubonja focused on the reaction of Albania’s political class to the acquittal of the former KLA commander and Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj by the Hague Tribunal. Lubonja wrote that following Haradinaj’s release, the elite in Pristina and Tirana celebrated him as a hero, despite having enough information that the charges brought by prosecutors in the Hague were correct.

As long as human rights and civil liberties are violated in Himara Region primarily property, Greec

Himara Associations: Athens to block the status of Albania, if Tirana, does not solve the property issue Two associations based in Himara, "The Himara Community" and "Sea Coastal Association" have asked in a statement distributed to the media this afternoon that Greece "should block the candidate status for Albania" if Tirana, will not solve the problems of Human Rights and particularly the issue of the properties in Himara Region. The statement takes into consideration the visit Tirana following day of E.Venizelos the Greek Deputy Prime Minister also heads the Presidency of the European :

Albania minorities object to territorial division

Albania's civil society is calling on officials to diffuse tensions and protect minorities from discrimination and potential violence as a result of the decision to scrap the existing municipalities and create a new territorial administration. The government reduced the 384 local government units to 65, effectively creating entirely Albanian-majority municipalities. Greek, Macedonian and other minority representatives said the government's move violates their rights and international norms.

Poll: Albania, the most racist country in Europe

An international survey data from the World Value Survey collected and processed by the Washington Post reveals that Albania is the most racist country in Europe and worldwide more racists. The survey attempts to make a connection between economic development and being tolerant inside a society with ethnic crashes.. Thus, the most tolerant countries in the world are the Nordic countries, Great Britain and some of its former colonies, the United States, Canada and Australia. Countries with high tolerance are also in Latin America, where Venezuela exception.

Fatos Lobonja: Albania needs formatting not to rebirth

Fatos Lobonja, in an interview for the program "PULS" the KohaVision in Kosovo, there appeared criticism of developments in Albania. According Lubonja Albanians as a society still can not be consolidated. The reasons, according to him, are corrupt Albanian political elites on all sides, inside and abroad. He said they did not thirst for power leaves organize and move forward. Edi Rama's arrival at the head of government, according Lubonja, will not change the image of Albania, because Rama is associated with the oligarchs and organized crime. " He should answer that elite and non-citizens of Albania ", Lobonja estimates.

Nicholas Gage: Athens to give soon the Greek citizenship for thousand north epiriotes

World Council delegation of Epirus Abroad, meeting with the Ministry of Interior for the vote of northern epiriotes and the resolve the pension problem The visit of Nicholas Gage, is considering as the latest diplomatic effort of USA lobbing, for implementation of the "Protocol of Corfu" agreement, between Albania and Greece, based on the ulterior escalation in Balkan region. The Delegation of the World Council of Foreign Relation of Epirus (PSIE) headed by the Honorary President Nicolas Gkatzogianni, had a working meeting with the Greek Interior minister Stylianidis and v/ minister Syrigos.

Himariotes, lobbying in USA, for Autonomy

A group of people of Himara, with American citizenship, are lobbying to the US Congress and the State Department, that the Himara Region, receive the right for autonomy, according to international historical right to his self-determination. Proposed to merge all associations operating in USA, Greece and Albania, to be united in a single purpose: Autonomous Himara, Movements in the Balkans geopolitical, Mitrovica case, cutting pension from Greece, scarce public investment, robbery and illegal registration of property, etc., have raised a great concern, as never in the recent relationship of Himara, Albanian and Greek state relationship.

Pyrros Dimas, meeting with the Greek Minister of Labour, for problem of pensions to the Northern Ep

- Initiative of MP of PASOK, Pyrros Dimas for preparing and drafting a legislative proposal in collaboration with representatives of the Northern Epirus organizations. - The Minister agreed on the need to find a solution and urged the Member to develop concrete proposals, and that after consultation with the Secretary of the New Republic, Manolis Kefaloyiannis will be submitted jointly to the Minister of Finance.

"Kakome Case" again to the Albanian Tribunals

The Greek Community continues to "constant war" with the Albanian government to protect property. The apathy of Athens, to respond to the robbery of the properties in just the time, that OSCE, under the process of the registration of property in Ionian Coast, from European taxpayers, without any trasparence, is favoring according to Albanian law, alienation of property, of the Greek community , with the false documents.

Berisha: albanophobia threatens inter region

Berisha: "We must accept that they are the only people who live in 5 states. A nation that is unjustly divided into 5 states, a nation that wants to look to a common future. But again albanophobia is still in action " Albanian Prime Minister for the second time, threatening Greece, claiming that Albanians in Greece, should join the Albanian state.

NORTHERN EPIRUS THROUGH THE CENTURIES(LECTURE OF VASILIOS KYRANIS, Harvard University -1981) AL

Christos Pappas, in an interview with Arthur Zhei, News 24 TV

Pappas: "Northern Epirus is a region that holds arbitrary from Albania, as recognized by the great powers, the Protocol of Corfu. The Law of War against Albania, can not remove from Papoulias nor Greek parliament, but the Greek army is ready to liberate the Northern Epirus, again

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After a life threatening message to Archbishop Janullatos

42 Orthodox clergy against census and Red & Black Alliance: Janullatos has not afraid of death 42 Tirana archdiocese Orthodox clergy have reacted with a joint statement in defense of Anastasios Yannoulatos. Their attitude comes after strong reactions against the Red & Black Alliance, for Archbishop and after a census that sees Orthodox in third place in terms of religion in the country.

Albania: 100 years, Berisha plays 'great Albania' trump card

In Tirana Albanian leaders, tensions with Macedonia 28 November, 10:49 (ANSAmed) - TIRANA, NOVEMBER 28 - Albania's black and red national flag with a double-headed eagle is waving across the country which is celebrating today its 100th anniversary of independence in a tense political climate. The centre-right Premier Sali Berisha has been calling for days for an ethnic-national unification of all Albanians living in different Balkan states, in efforts to revive a strong nationalism which is rejected by Albania's opposition.

The Official Site of The Himara Community

CONTINUES THE DEBATE IN WASHINGTON D.C. FOR THE PROPERTY RIGHTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS FROM NORTHERN

According to the Greek organisation of Albania estimates there are thousands of Greek American citizens from Northern Epirus (Southern Albania) which is refering the Journalist Lambros Papantoniou, asking the Spokesman of State Department for the rights of American citizens with Greek origin to take their properties in Southern Albania. Papantoniou is refereeing a Memo between Albanian State and USA about the civil rights especially for the properties of American citizens who are interested to take them according to Albanian Constitution and laws the properties of family generation. This is the second debate of the veteran Journalist for Balkan Issues in State Department Lambros Papantoiou who accuses over all the Sali Berisha Regim in Albania supported by the President Bush.

A Response to AFP

SManalysis Orthodox churches of Albania, are Byzantine churches, belong to the property of the population of Epirus.....

Avramopoulos`s speach during NATO meeting

Greece threatens Albania blocking the integration process after Berisha's statements Greek Foreign Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, has expressed his concern at the NATO ministerial meeting about rising tide of nationalism in Albania and premature declarations of the government. In a press release the Greek Foreign Ministry said that "the growth of nationalism and populism in some of our neighboring countries is a source of great concern."

The U.S. talk of "change of borders in the Balkans"

Message-warning sent to Albania by the U.S. representative to the State Department, which in a statement said that any change of borders in the Balkans "would be counterproductive and destabilizing," but the issue is that for the first time put the U.S. even and negative mood on any change of borders in the Balkans ...

INUK në Vlorë, pronarët: Me dokumenta të rregullta dhe leje ndërtimi

ENIKOS.GR

GREEK NEWS FROM NIKO`S BLOG

PREMIUM, THE GREEK TRASFORMATION

The "Kissinger Plan": Confederations Macedonia, Epirus, Thrache,

THE BIG CHANGE IN PERIVOLO, DRYMADES, HIMARA REGION

Dhermi, (Drymades, Himara Region) between natural beauty and destruction Look at those videos, before in 2010, everything natural and in 2012 the differences, the big changes how are divided Mafia plots, see whose investments are shown, with the camera of a sportsman parachute, in Long Beach "Perivolo" in Dhrymades, the Himara Region. Look at how this summer 2012, the Concessions of Mafia provided by The Himara Counsil Municipality and the Government of Albania, have become a reality. The Sand Beach Drymades, is transformed in the sidewalks and kiosks. See how they are transformed Dhermi, in a few years, in an administrative center, disrupting also balance the religious and ethnic composition of himariotes.

Robert Elsie: If I would live in Albania, it would be crazy. It is the same as in Ottoman times

After known albanolog Milan Shufla, Robert Elsie is the best conteproranean albanian albanolog in the World During his intereweu on "Top Channely TV, Robert Elsie, on his first interview on TV. expresed his story about Albanian and Albanian state in 100 years. An interesting tale scholar known for his work difficulties in view of the Albanian language. Elsie, who knows Albanians for years, amounts to a chilling conclusion. He says he will not ever live in Albania, as it will go mad. "I can not live here. It's a little wild for me, the relationships between people are a bit wild. I know that is just a facade that inside have good spirit, but have a rabies in human relations. You know how to protect yourself here, and here I am like a rabbit, he can not defend myself. I come here with pleasure, but do not believe they can afford to come and live here forever. There is much frustration of everyday life. Life is too short and I do not have time to bump into obstacles, only to achieve something, when in another country and get away and then live my life, "said Elsie to Albanian. And while Enver Hoxha's Albania as compared with that of Sali Berisha, adds: "There is something that depends only on the party, it's more the attitude of the people. So to get something going, you have to know someone in the Ministry, to drink coffee with, then drink coffee again next week with even a third time, and then he connects with the person that you are interested . That is the same as in Ottoman times, not like a normal country. ".

Separatists gaining ground in Europe

Greece, is going to Plan B: grant for 600 thousand Greek citizenship, at the Consulates

Failure of the Census in Albania, apparently, has forced Athens, put in place, going to Plan B to its foreign policy, grant citizenship to all Hellenic Community of Northern Epirus (Greek passports) through three Greek consulates in Albania. According to “The Albanian newspaper Gazeta Shqiptare”, in a statement issued by the Greek Consul in Argjirokaster, Nikolaos Kotroxois, will begin soon, giving the Greek passports to Albanian citizens of Greek descent, who have applied for years. The decision is taken, after Athens, has used all diplomatic sources to have to Tirana, the same wavelength, particularly in geopolitical matters, particularly Kosovo. In his statement, the Greek Foreign Minister Stavros Dimas, noted, that Tirana, continues to show towards Greece, feeling not sincere cooperation, while simultaneously calling for the right to self-determination of the Greek community in Albania.

BERISHA: GREATER ALBANIA, WE LOST TERRITORIES

he Albanian Prime Minister held a meeting with Prishtina University students, in which he argued why he is against the unification of Albania with Kosovo and why both countries would lose, if borders would be changed. “The vital interest of the Albanians is to preserve the current borders, and the Albanians should not accept, at any cost, to lose a single square meter of the land they are entitled to. Another redraw of the borders would mark undeserved losses of the Albanian territories. We must be patient, free, and should not undertake any action that threatens territorial losses. Every generation has to make its duty, and this generation made it”, Berisha declared.

Dimas:"The Greek ethnic Community in Albania has the right of free of charge self-determination"

The reliability of the results of population census in Albania, in terms of minority groups, directly challenging the foreign minister Stavros Dimas, diaminyontas same time that the Respect for human and minority rights is … crucial criterion for the progress of the accession method of our neighbor. In a letter sent to the Home in response to a question from a Member of LA.OS K. Aivaliotis, Dimas says that “the foreign ministry has closely followed all the developments surrounding the census in Albania, even though produced timely plays, both bilateral and European level to make sure the integrity process and unimpeded registration of members of the Greek National Minority, and each location of residence of such ». As outlined, the “Selection of the representatives of the main minority groups, including the Greek National Minority, invite their members to abstain in protest not guaranteed to respect the right of free of charge self-determination, showed a significant deficit of trust minority in the Albanian state, which ought to itself the Albanian government to address priority ».

The Constitutional Court Decision on December 1, the Latter abolished the term Ethnic certificate of Its Citizens. In the Decision, panels argues why the notion of "nationality" is incompatible with the constitution When Its state charter law does not provid a clear definition of Its meaning. In Assessing the Court, "nationality" as defined concept without, unlike Other components of civil law does not Create a link that 'translates the Mutual rights and duties of Natural Persons and state.

While the total population in Himara Municipality, does not exceed 12 thousand inhabitants, a source from the prosecution of Vlora, shows that the problems of ownership at the squirrels region have reached the 7500 court proceedings and special investigations, which marks a world record, by how a country like Albania, could not manage the right of ownership, in one of the areas attacked by the Albanian mafia and international. However, the U.S. Department Report for 2004 on human rights in Albania, states clearly that in the Himara Municipality, the community lands and the Orthodox Church, was robbed by a Courts with false documents, supported by the Office of Propetry Registration in Albania.

Arben Puto: Albania has declared war against Greece first

In his book "The Italian Greek War", Arben Puto, well known historian of the era of dictatorship in Albania, writes that: "In a unanimous decision of the Albanian Parliament on July 15, 1940, was ratified, the Italian Fascist royal decree, which declared all war allies France and Britain, including the USA and Greece. So need to Albanians, to be aware that Greece was not declared war Albania, but Albania, with military battalions that attacked Greece on 28 October 1940 ".

WB returns to Ionian Riviera residence reconstruction

Another World Bank project is being executed with the help of the Albanian authorities for the reconstruction of the residences in Albania’s southern coastline. The 625.000 USD project aims to protect and promote the values of the Albanian national architecture in the Southern part of the country, in order to prevent destruction and abandonment of the traditional houses. “Shqip” newspapers says that the Ministry of Public Works is the WB partner in the “Roofs and Facades” project. The implementation of the program has started in the villages classified as participators: Dhermi i Vjeter, Qeparo i Vjeter, Ilias, Vuno, Himare e Vjeter, Piqeras, Nivice and Luksht. The World Bank will finance 70% of the restauration cost, with a maximum of 7000 USD, while the program “Accommodation and Breakfast” will finance 50 of the restoration cost, with a maximum of 5,000 USD. The program “Roofs and Facades” aims to restore 72 houses in 18 months. 20 of them will adopt with the conditions of modern life, in the framework of the program “Accommodation and Breakfast”.

In Albania, at 20 years post-dictatorship, 8 thousands murders, for the issue of property

The shocking data, are given by the Prosecutor General, to the Albanian press Shocking facts which, in the wake of Albania rank Civil War, the high level of killings, including the year 1997 Through the Albanian press, Attorney General, has published shocking facts about the increasing number of murders in Albania, especially for issues of ownership. Clic on photo ....

Himara 26 centuries, a history of glorious Independence

HIMARA, THE NEXT MONTE CARLO`S IN EPIRUS

First step to Greater Albania: Kosovo Opens First Highway Section

A 38 kilometre-tranche of the road, which will eventually cross the country from the Albanian to Serbian border, was opened on Saturday. The first section, which runs from Vermica on the Albanian border to close to the town of Suhareka, cost 330 million euro. Senior Kosovo and Albania government officials were present at the inauguration ceremony. In a speech, Kosovo’s President Atifete Jahjaga said that the "highway has the role of linking nations and countries". "It is our link with important European corridors. Our coordinated policy will make us a free and equal members of the European Union," she added. Named the "Ibrahim Rugova Highway", after Kosovo's most famous president, the road connects with Albania's first highway, which was also built by the Turkish-American consortium Bechtel-Enka.

George Goro: Registration of properties on the southern coast of Albania faces difficulties

The process of registration of property in southern coastal areas of Albania is getting quite difficult. Mayor George Himara Goro says it has so far only completed the registration of houses and land but not land. Problems with documentation and the implementation of the Land Law difficult, according to him, residents in this process.

The Monument of Independence of Albania, is in hassle

PDIU Cam Community Party, the Socialist Party's local leader in Vlora, and "Red & Black Alliance", are making a nationalistic competition, the Monument of Independence and the Albanian national flag. Few days ago, Prime Minister Sali Berisha, said the establishment of a new monument to the independence of Albania in Tirana, implying, dismiss the historical tradition of Albanian independence in Vlora.

Himarrioton Society of America

The Himarriotans of America, motivated by the love of Himarra, the land of their native origin, and dedicated to the noblest ideals of their forfathers, have established this organization which aspires to the cultivation and preservation of Himarriotic culture in America, to making a positive difference in the lives of its members, and to promoting the rights and interests of the Himarriotans in Himarra, through the realization of patriotic, charitable, philanthropic, educational and cultural endeavors.

Opinion in Kosovo: "Socialists in Albania, are filo Greek"

The Chairman of the Opposition in Albania, Edi Rama, accused by the press in Kosovo that "he is with filo Greek sentiments" If, Sali Berisha, Albania's current prime minister, is expected both in Macedonia and Kosovo, as president of the Albanian nation, this has not happened with the chairman of the opposition in Albania, Edi Rama. During a recent visit to Kosovo, Edi Rama is unpopular, the fact that the perception of public opinion in Kosovo, is that the south, is the area close to Greece, but especially Rama and the Socialist Party, was accused of holding a position filo Greek, against the interests of Greater Albania.